Body Found in Historic Hotel’s Drinking Water Tank

Water test results will be available today

A body has been found in a cistern at the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles, leading to worries about the hotel’s water supply.

The body of a 21-year-old Canadian woman named Elisa Lam was discovered by a maintenance worker in one of the four cisterns used by the hotel, reports the Associated Press. The worker found her after guests complained of low water pressure.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has tested the water and expects to release results today. The main concern is fecal contamination. However, because of the large amount of water the body was in, the department expects the contamination to be minimal, the AP reports. Still, it has issued a “do not drink” order for the hotel as a cautionary measure.

The water from the cistern supplies drinking and washing water for the hotel. It also supplies water for the hotel’s cooking operations as well as the the coffee shop. All food and beverage operations in the hotel have been instructed to sterilize the equipment before any use. The hotel has also hired a water treatment expert to help sterilize its plumbing.